By special orders of General Banks I have been compelled to be equipped as infantry. The guns furnished us are of the poorest description, being Austrian rifles, .54 caliber, many without bayonets, and those with bayonets without bayonet scabbards. The locks are very defective. I am now under orders to move outside the fortifications with Companies A, B, F, G, H, and K, and relieve regiments ordered to the front. C, D, E, and M garrison the fort. Company I is doing provost duty. We still have a recruiting party in Indiana. Six of companies are filled to the maximum, and from information received from the recruiting party the regiment only lacks 75 to 100 men of being filled to the maximum number, 1,824. Now, general, if our former services and the number of recruits we have furnished merits any reward, I beg that you will use your effort to equip us as artillery at the earliest possible time.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

JOHN A. KEITH,

Colonel First Indiana Heavy Artillery, Commanding Fort.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,

Alexandria, May 1, 1864.

Major-General McCLERLAND,

Brigadier General A. J. SMITH:

The major-general commanding directs that the troops forming the line of defense for this place will stand at arms from a half an hour before daylight till half an hour after daylight, and from that time till 8 o'clock a.m. they will be ready at a moment's notice to meet an attack of the enemy.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Alexandria, La., May 1, 1864.

Brigadier General WILLIAM DWIGHT,

Chief of Staff, Department of the Gulf:

GENERAL: Colonel W. J. Landram, commanding Fourth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, whose left rests on the upper side of the Opelousas road, reports that there are no troops in position connecting with him on the other side of that road. The line of defense at this moment, therefore, extends, in point of fact, only from Bayou Rapides, on the right, round to the Opelousas road, on the left, and embraces none but troops of this command in the first line. In view of the threatened attack of the enemy, I would respectfully request that the detachment of 500 men sent across the river yesterday morning from the Thirteenth Corps be ordered back.

I am, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. McCLERNAND,

Major-General, Commanding.